Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-05-03
srocK-RA1s1NG AND THE RACES.

- >~~~~~>~'N 1900
Sacramento possesses the finest race
course upon the coast. 1t is better fitted
than any other for the keeping of stock.
and is the best training ground in the
country. Philosophical citizens of Sac
ramento have arranged for a series Of races
to begin to-day. The programme they
have put forward has brought here some
of the best stock ever seen in the State.
1t represents the earnest effort of large
number of small breeders of fine horses,
upon whom the State must largely rely
for the reputation she is to have as
a stock-breeding ground. Few of these
men have much wealth to maintain large
stock farms or to transport their colts to
the East to win laurels for the State, but
they have the spirit and determination to
stock California with splendid animals,
and make the stock-breeding farms and
pastures of the State worth far more in
millions to our people than the Blue
Grass region is to Kentucky. A few large
breeders-men Of wealth-have invested
immense sums in breeding fine horses and
horned stock. Their effort has done i'm
mense service to the State and proved what
her capacity in this direction is, and every
one applauds their enterprise and is proud
of it. But if California is to stand foremost
as she should, as stock-raising State, it is
upon the men of small capital we must also
largely depend to popnlarize the enter
prise.
To-day in Sacram ento we have splendid
stables of horses gathered for speed trials,
that are owned mainly by men of limited
means, but who represent labor and pluck
that mean as much for California in the
future as her wheat farms and her fruits
Whatever may be the division of moral
sentiment regarding racing, this remains
no man has any words but words of praise
for fine animals, and the enterprise that
breeds them. The day of "scrubs =" is
gone forever. Good breeding is giving us
horses for speed, draught and all service,
unsurpassed by any in the world, and there
is scarce man SO poor needing good
horse or cow who may not own it. 1t is
folly to continue bringing droves upon
droves Of stock, as we are doing, from Ore
gon and Nevada and Idaho and Utah, and
paying the raisers in those sections round
prices for farm horses, roadsters, saddle
and all service animals, when we have the
capacity to completely shut off this i'm
portation, and not only supply ourselves
but the entire country.
The truth of the whole matter is, that
Sacramento county would be richer to-day
by one hundred per cent. if half of her
grain lands were turned to grazing, and
we had less tilling of the soil for grain for
export and more cultivation of feed and
stock. There is, in fact, more money in it,
and greater certainty of profit. There is
no county in the State better
adapted, we repeat, for stock-raising
than Sacramento. A few men have taken
upon their shoulders Zone end " of the
stock-raising enterprise, that must some
day-and it ought to be an early one
make California world noted as depot of
supply for fine animals-and by fine ami
mails we mean economic animals, for they
are not only the best but the cheapest.
That send =" of the enterprise is "speed-
ing" testing the endurance and speed of
various breeds. This emulation and con-
tention, known as racing, is condemned by
some, but back of it all is the great fact
it is motor to stock-breeding and an es-
sential in it.
The Sacramento races ought to be main
tanned; the men who have arranged for
them ought to be sustained in their effort
because, if for no other reason, it will en-
courage the breeding of fine stock Such
speeding as is proposed here this week, al
most anywhere in the East would bring
ten thousand people a day TO the town that
encouraged it, and land thousands of dol
lars in it to stay. Heretofore 0et the truth
be told) spring races have been poorly
patronizsd by our own people, and that
fact has discouraged the coming of others.
Let us be wise for ourselves out of pure
selfshness, and from to-day enter upon a
policy that will make the Sacramento
spring races a feature of the year, and
bring to this city every spring, not only
the finest of good stock for speeding, but
great amount of stock for sale and exchange.
With our fine pastures, alfalfa and barley
lands that are unequaled in the world, eli
mate the very best known in which to
grow fine-bred animals, We ought to make
this great stock center. One way to be-
gin, is to encourage the speeding end
of the policy. Followed out, two years
hence we can bring eight or ten thousand
people to the stock exhibit in Sacramento.
Neglected this year, and the men who have
rallied once more for Sacramento unen-
couraged, some other place will receive
that which we have the first claim upon.
The thing to do is to put in an appear
aalce at the races this week, and help on
tse boom of stock-breeding in Sacramento
cesnty and the country tributary to it. and
not drive it from US, as cold " policy
cert&inly viii do.
DIRT AND DISCOMFORT.